I'll Keep This Secret For You

Chapter 23

You wake up late in the midmorning to the sun shining in right through that annoying little crack in the curtains and on your face. But you don't care. This is the best feeling ever.

Snuggled up in Bucky's arms, feeling the contrasting warmth and cool of his body embracing you, you don't think you've ever felt so happy. He may have had a nightmare last night but you both managed to get back to sleep and must've slept in late. Having no kids for the night has been great.

You can tell from the way Bucky is holding you that he hasn't budged since he tightly cuddled up to you as you rocked him up to sleep. But now his muscles as relaxed and soft, not tense and rigid, with your head on his chest the sound of his heart is slow and steady, no longer fast and erratic. There is no other way to describe it except that it is just so nice.

You sigh contently as you look up at his face as he sleeps. He's just so adorable. Careful not to wake him, you can't help but lean up and press a kiss on the tip of his nose.

Happy to just stay like this you lie there for a few minutes, just absentmindedly tracing the grooves in his metal arm. It still amazes you even after a few months now.

However, all of a sudden your stomach starts to churn and you get the strong urge to vomit. Shocked by how fast it came on and unable to hold it back, you leap out of bed and rush to the bathroom just in time to throw up.

Coughing and spluttering you gasp for breath as you try to get yourself together. Your so overwhelmed that you don't hear the soft footsteps padding quickly across the wooden floorboards towards you. It isn't until you feel cold, metallic fingers delicately start to rub up and down your exposed spine and your hair being pulled back out of your face that you register that Bucky has come to your aid.

"Hey hey, baby doll it's okay, your okay," he whispers soothingly and kisses the top of your head as he hugs you into his chest.

You can't reply because you're too busy feeling miserable so all you do is limply wrap one of your arms around his neck and let out a weak whimper in between ragged breaths.

"You alright now?" he asks quietly after a while, looking down at you with eyes full of concern.

"Mhm," you mumble and nod feebly.

"Do you wanna go back to bed?"

"I'll brush my teeth first."

"Okay." He sighs and gets up, helping you and leading you over to the sink.

He stays behind you with an arm wrapped around you protectively the whole time before picking you up bridal style and carrying you back to bed. Realising how cold you are once you are back under the warmth of the thick woolen blankets you start to shiver and Bucky automatically envelopes you in his body heat, making a conscious effort to leave his metal arm out of the mix.

"Go back to sleep doll, you'll feel better when you wake up, I promise," he whispers and then before you can stop him he kisses you on the lips.

"Bucky, don't," you croak.

"I know what you're going to say and I don't care." He smirks.

You don't even bother fighting, you feel too miserable so you just snuggle up to him and drift off to sleep, overcome with fatigue.

                              ~~~~

When you wake again you actually do feel much better. Bucky is still cuddled up to you but when he notices that you're stirring he shifts to prop himself up on his elbows.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He mumbles in a husky voice.

He looks like he went back to sleep himself, which isn't a bad thing. He can use all the sleep he can get at the moment.